Wood From Korea ?

[greggas]

I have a client who requested a couple dozen pens with wood from Korea. I have researched much but cannot come up with any ideas on wood that will have a dramatic look. These are high end pens ($ 250 +) and simply using some of the many pines that seem to be prevalent in Korea will be underwhelming. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Greg

 

[Steve Busey]

When I was in Korea 30 some years ago, there simply weren't a lot of trees there. I was told it was pretty much clearcut during the Korean conflict and since then any wood is quickly harvested to make charcoal for the pervasive ondol heating system in the country. Combine that with the fact that a lot of the usable land is used for rice farming, and the bitter winters limit growth, your pickin's may be slim. Don't get me wrong - there are trees there (remember the 1976 "tree trimming incident" at Panmunjon?), just not a big timber market.

Good luck!

 

[rjwolfe3]

Another problem you made run into is the names may not translate well between Korean and English. I would think that wood the is common in that part of Asia may be common in Korea.

 

[rjwolfe3]

Maybe this will help:

http://www.koreanforest.com/etc/eng/contents/etc/index.html

 

[rjwolfe3]

Here is another:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Trees_of_Korea

 

[jskeen]

Actually, almost the entire peninsula was clearcut by the japanese during their occupation of Korea, and the wood was hauled back to Japan (along with almost anything of value that could possibly be stolen). But the almost complete deforestation is still bitterly resented by most Koreans, even though it is routinely denied by the Japanese government to this day.

I was there in 88-89, and heard these stories first hand. Horror stories of the Japanese occupation are still widespread among Koreans, and the Liberation of Korea from Japan is one of the strongest reasons the older Korean people still respect Americans in their country, perhaps as much or more so than the protection of South Korea from Communist takeover in the Korean police action.

 

[greggas]

Thanks for the links Rob, I had the Wik but not the other.

The deforestation problem seems to be the issue....I think you may be right Steve about pickings being slim...I have looked into species that grow in the region but there is not much, if anything, coming out of Korea.

Thanks for the input and feedback

 

[workinforwood]

The solution is simple...you make rice pens! Now...do you want white rice, black rice, fried rice, or rice a roni?:biggrin:

Yes..it's funny, but also it's so so true..many of us could hook you up with that! It's absolutely do-able.

 

[rjwolfe3]

The solution is simple...you make rice pens! Now...do you want white rice, black rice, fried rice, or rice a roni?:biggrin:

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[greggas]

The solution is simple...you make rice pens! Now...do you want white rice, black rice, fried rice, or rice a roni?:biggrin:

Jeff;

that's funny, reminds me of the scene in Forest Gump when he lists all the shrimp dishes....I can hear it now...." rice pilaf, long grain rice, Condaleesa Rice , dirty rice.."

Now if I can only convince him to pay $ 250 a pop for rice...may need to throw in an egg roll.

 

[Russianwolf]

The solution is simple...you make rice pens! Now...do you want white rice, black rice, fried rice, or rice a roni?:biggrin:

Jeff;

that's funny, reminds me of the scene in Forest Gump when he lists all the shrimp dishes....I can hear it now...." rice pilaf, long grain rice, Condaleesa Rice , dirty rice.."

Now if I can only convince him to pay $ 250 a pop for rice...may need to throw in an egg roll.

enough rice liquor and he won't mind at all.

 

[workinforwood]

Be sure and ask the client. I can make the blanks. I have a few types of rice around here..and if I say they are from Korea..then they are from Korea.:wink: I do have several flavors of rice-a-roni too. If he keeps an open mind, then he can't deny that there are Koreans in San Fransisco! You could even pop out a grain of rice from the turned pen and send it to Ken for engraving and then stick it back in the pen.

Rice patties...rice pilaf...liver and rice... rice cream...rice stir fry.. rice and fish... Rice Tea...Hidy Rice....

 

[greggas]

Be sure and ask the client. I can make the blanks. I have a few types of rice around here..and if I say they are from Korea..then they are from Korea.:wink: I do have several flavors of rice-a-roni too. If he keeps an open mind, then he can't deny that there are Koreans in San Fransisco! You could even pop out a grain of rice from the turned pen and send it to Ken for engraving and then stick it back in the pen.

Rice patties...rice pilaf...liver and rice... rice cream...rice stir fry.. rice and fish... Rice Tea...Hidy Rice....

Engraving on the rice...now there's an idea...reminds me of when i was a kid and i saw someone had written 500 words of bible verse on a grain of rice in the Guiness book of records...better yet how about an article this spring featuring some of your beautiful scroll work on a long grain......

Rice cakes...wedding rice.....Jerry Rice......sticky rice.....

...and still no wood from Korea

 

[seawolf]

Another idea would be to check antique dealers for pre war furniture from Korea. I met a fellow turner who bought a portion of a chair.
Just a thought, Mark

 

[thewishman]

Now if I can only convince him to pay $ 250 a pop for rice...may need to throw in an egg roll.

Might want to make that kim chee instead. I think there is another post figuring out how to cast cabbage.

 

[Rmartin]

Bamboo? Chop sticks pen?

 

[workinforwood]

How about a pen made of rice paper:biggrin:? Cut the paper into strips, mount tube between centers, a spritz of glue, and then wind it up.

 

[greggas]

So with all the talk about rice you know I had to go to the shop last night and make three blanks out of rice and PR. Won't work for the Korea client but have a friend in California who would love a pen made from the "San Francisco treat"

 

[workinforwood]

We'll look forward to seeing your rice pens. I imagine you'll need to use lots of CA once you get close to the size you want so as to prevent the rice from pulling out..but maybe not. I swear I've seen rice pens before, but if so, it's been a long time.

 

[greggas]

I wonder if they will look like sushi?

 

[shepardscross]

I wonder if they will look like sushi?

Now those are some cast blanks I would love to turn. I work for a Japanese/Sushi restaurant and I know the Sushi guys would love that. Something along the lines of a rainbow roll with a little rice coming out the end and the nori on the "bottom"